hey doctor
by tear of the sun girl
Summary: Ten years after Arnold breaks Helga's heart he finds out she is his new boss and sparks fly as they continue to heat up the hospital with fights and more
1. chapter one

Title: Hey doctor.

Rating: T for teen for thematic elemnts, mild language and anything else.

Disclaimer : I DONT OWN ANYTHING THAT RELATES TO HER ARNOLD

AUTHOR NOTE: I wrote this fiction when I was about 13 it was my first Hey Arnold fiction and it really was poorly written and everything. I recently picked writing fanfictions again and with the help of a new Beta-Reader we are rewriting this story. Hopefully this time we get it right. For those of you reading my other Hey Arnold fiction BUY ME LOVE I haven't qiut working on it I am still writing it and will be posting it I'm just also fixing this one.

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Chapter1#

31 year old Helga Pataki opened the door to her office and stepped inside. She walked quickly towards her desk not stopping or looking up until her secretary reached her.

"Helga I received two messages for you." Phoebe announced handing them to Helga on little sheets of pink paper.

"Thank you."

"Oh, and that new guy is here." Phoebe added.

"What new guy?" Helga stopped walking for a second and turned to Phoebe with a questioning look.

"The transferred resident from mercy general? He's coming today for an interview." Phoebe looked up from her clip board of notes and acknowledges.

"Oh, right. I forgot. I guess I am just tired from being on call all last night." Helga turned her attention back to walking down the hallway away from the hooting interns.

Helga had become the head doctor in the E. R. at Mount Sinai Hospital in new york.

She had her own office, her own secretary ,and free reign over all the people who worked for here. Recently she had been given a green light to hire more people.

Helga had changed a lot from that nine year old girl with blue eyes. She still had those crystal blue eyes but now her golden blonde locks were almost reaching her lower back. She was about 5'10 now with the perfect shape every woman dreamed of with all the curves in the right places. She wasn't fat but she wasn't anorexic skinny either. A lot of guys at the hospital had their eyes on her but Helga also had the reputation of being a cold fish. She didn't date or flirt with guys, she kept all of them at a distant, especially the ones at work.

The new guy walked in and sat down in the pink plushy chair across from her desk. When Helga didn't look up from her notes she was flipping through, he cleared his throat.

"I'll be with you in a second." Helga stated, still not looking up from her notes.

"No problem..." He started to fiddle with his thumbs in a circular motion.

Amazingly enough the man in Helga's office was Arnold.

Arnold had no idea who Helga was because she looked so beautiful and different even though some where something was saying he has seen her before.

Arnold looked at his new boss she was really pretty and Arnold had to fight the urge to stare. She tucked her hair behind her ear and continued flipping pages. When she finally stopped and found his resume, she glanced over it not paying attention to his full name.

"OK..."Helga stopped speaking the minute she looked up.

Helga knew Arnold from the moment she laid her eyes on him. He hadn't changed much from last time except he was a little taller. His cornflower hair was slicked back. His jelly bean eyes still stayed the same since I first saw them when I was three. She was shocked that he hadn't said anything about her yet. Arnold was still too dense to realize who the woman in front of him was.

"Uh...do you..?" Helga was speechless. She still couldn't believe who was in front of her.

"Are you ok?"Arnold asked, raising his eyebrows curiously.

"Yes. I'm fine. You've got the job. Congratulations."Helga said she just wanted him out of her office and as quickly as possible.

"Don't you need to interview me?" He stood up.

"Nope." She came over and started to push him towards the door.

"Ok. Thank you."

Arnold stepped outside Helga's office and Helga closed the door as fast as she could. Phoebe recognized Arnold the instant she saw him. She rushed over to say hello.

"ARNOLD!" Phoebe exclaimed with delight.

"PHOEBE!" Arnold was surprised to see Phoebe again but not so surprised to see her as a doctor. Everyone knew Phoebe would be in this position one day.

"When did you get here?" She gave him a hug, let go, and smiled at him with delight.

"A while ago I just got the last opening for a job position."

"Wow..." Phoebe looked down at her shoes, shocked to believe Helga would accept him.

"Yeah, now we can hang out and catch up."

"Yep. Just you, me, and, um, Helga." Phoebe smiled awkwardly and Arnold's face froze.

"HELGA?!" He finally managed to move his lips after a couple of seconds.

"Yeah she's in there." Phoebe pointed to the office door.

"In the office I just came from?" He said rhetorically.

"Yes." Phoebe crossed her arms over her chest. She was getting annoyed about how the boy never grew out of his denseness.

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? She is the head doctor Arnold."

"You...she?...that was...my boss?...Helga?" His head spun.

Arnold fainted on the spot.

"ARNOLD?!ARNOLD?!" Phoebe ran over and started fanning his face.

Helga was listening through the door the whole time. She was rambling with her own thoughts when she heard a thunk on the floor. She was surprised to have opened her door to see Arnold unconscious and ran over to help Phoebe wake him up.

Arnold opened his eyes and was surprised to see his boss standing over him. He sat up slowly and she grabbed his arm.

"Are you alright?" Helga asked helping Arnold stand up.

"Yeah. I just had the worst nightmare." Arnold shook his head and rubbed the back of it with his hand.

"Oh, really?" She raised one eyebrow in a sarcastic sense.

"You were this girl that used to pick on me and was nasty all the time... it was... weird..." He said looking into her eyes.

"Yes...that is weird." Helga agreed and looked over at Phoebe who was staring between the two.

"You're not are you?" He asked in a too hopeful voice for it to be true.

"I am sorry to disappoint you Football Head." She sighed and let go of his arm. Leaning back on her legs and staring at the floor.

He immediately shot up and felt the world spin around him. Phoebe helped balance him by holding on to his arm and looking at Helga with sorrow.

"Oh no... Maybe I should apply for a job somewhere else..." He offered.

"No Arnold. I already gave you a job here." She exclaimed while standing up and dusting off her jeans.

"I know, but, you and I, we just, we are not a thing anymore." He said looking at her face. He saw it change from disappointment to anger in one blink.

"Yes I know. We never were." She brushed passed him quickly, holding her clip board tightly to her chest. He winced with hurt at her words.

She walked into her office slamming the door. After a few seconds he opened the door to her office and slammed his hands on her desk making her jump and look up at his annoyed face.

"Helga are you still mad at me?!" Arnold asked with a little too much aggression that made Helga a little scared.

"To be honest...a little." She looked back down at her papers trying to distract herself from his stature.

"That was ten years ago!"

"So!" She looked up into his anger filled eyes matching his emotions with her own, "I remember like it was yesterday..."

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***Flash back***

"So this is it?" Helga was 21 and standing with Arnold in the rain on the same bridge when she took that "anti-love potion", looking at the rippling blue water.

"Yeah..."

"I love you." She blurted out, covering her move with her hands the moment she said those words.

"What?" He looked over at her with an 'are you serious' expression.

She went over to him and held on to his arms for him to understand how much this meant to her. And for her own support.

"I love you. I have since the day I met you outside of our first day of preschool when we were three..." She looked into his jellybean green eyes and slid her hands down his arms to his.

"Why are you telling me this Helga?" He looked at her crystal blue eyes and saw that she was being serious. He couldn't believe it.

"Because, I am going back to school, and, I may never see you again..." She was leaving for Duke in a few short days and she just had to tell him. She may never get this chance again.

"Oh." He said it so dully that it made Helga drop his already slack hands.

"Do you love me?" She questioned with worrisome.

"No Helga. I don't..." He started to back away a little, noticing how close she was to him.

"Oh... But why?" She had water starting to rim her eyes.

"Because you are a cruel, uncaring, heartless person. You have made my life a misery since preschool and if you did 'love' me, I know you wouldn't have ever done the things you've did. Your the reason Lia and I never hit it off! Your the reason I lost my baseball cap all those years ago!"

He was yelling at her so loud that Helga didn't realize she had backed herself up against the concrete railing that led to freezing plummet on the over side. She had tears running down her face but stopped when she heard the last sentence and started to get angry at herself. But mostly him.

"What hell are you talking about Arnold!?"

"You heard me! I know all about your little shrines and poems. I've know for years! You were a stalker Helga! And I don't love you and don't think I ever will! The truth is, I hate you!" He was yelling at her but he never yelled.

"But-"

"Forget it!"Arnold stormed off leaving Helga crying on the bridge where she regretted ever asking to take the 'spell' off of her.

***end Flash back***

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Helga had to blink to hold back tears that were memories still fresh in her mind.

"My Grandpa had just died! I was upset and really confus-"Arnold said trying to defend his younger, stupider, self. Regretting everything he said on that bridge.

"It is ok. All water under the bridge. So, just forget it." She said the armor coming back up preventing him from getting close and into her heart again.

"You never changed." He said standing up and shaking his head.

"What does that supposed to mean?!" She snapped.

"You are still the same old Helga. I thought you would have grown up by now."

"Shut up and go to work." She ordered with rage and looked back down at the papers she was stacking a little too forceful.

"Fine." He stormed out of the office slamming the door and Helga collapsed onto her chair with a heavy sigh. Letting old memories, that she thought she buried long ago, sweep back into her mind.

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	2. Chapter two

Helga walked down the hall to the lounge after a long day of being on call for thirty-six hours for very much needed cup of coffee. She was almost past out when she was giving her last patient a CAT scan to see if he was going to have an aneurism. She desperately needed the caffeine boost right now. That, and to sleep in her big comfy IKEA chair. Man, that thing was comfortable at times.

When Helga stepped up to the rec room, that is barely used at times, she opened old wood door. Of course Arnold, the tired beat up intern that had been working for two days straight with only running on one hour of sleep that came from sneaking in a unused patient's room and sleeping on the hard uncomfortable bed, was in the room, at the espresso machine, mixing his own cup of crap coffee with ten sugars.  
Helga stepped past him, shoving him to the side in the process, reached for her semi-used special cup that said, Pink Ribbon Beauty, and started to mix her own cup of sugary shake coffee. Completely ignoring Arnold in the process. She didn't intend to do so but she was just so tired that her mind was on a one track way to a crash and burn.  
"He-hey Helga." Arnold said stepping out of her way.  
"Hi." Helga whispered without even the slightest hint of a smile.  
Of course Arnold took it the wrong way and gave her a glare of his own but changed quickly noticing her dazed look and realizing that she was just zoned out to much to notice anything of what's going on. Let alone know what was on her face as an expression. He cleared his throat, done putting a gallon of sugar in his coffee, walked lazily and sat down at a small grey plush lounge chair you find at Starbucks. He set his mug on the designed wood table in the middle of the lounge, till he immediately reached for a place mat. Then he looked closer at the table more closely realizing it wasn't designed at all. The ripples and curves were from multiple and long years of having cups and mugs on them. He could have sworn when he lifted his head from starring, that he saw a smirk from Helga looking at him with bewilderedness. She probably thought he was a freak starring nose to wood top at the table the way he was.  
"So... Do you like the new job?" Helga asked breaking the silence but never making eye contact with him. She was too busy watching the foam in her coffee making swirls and designs on the top.  
"Yea actually."  
"You know, Lila works here too right?"  
She lifted her favorite cup to her lips and sipping softly to carefully make sure she doesn't burn her tongue. Again.  
"Really?" Arnold said with a little too much excitement that made Helga resent her a little more then she already did.  
"Yeah... Pediatrics ward, second floor." She didn't instead it but she added a little bit of some, distaste, to her words.  
"She always liked kids..."  
"Yeah. I hear she is really good...head doctor too."  
Helga remembered how she received that position too. Not through effort and hard work like Helga but by screwing the director of the pediatrics section. Lila really gave female doctors the usual stereotype from soap opera's.  
"Just like you are down here?"  
She didn't realize that Arnold was starring at her from across the room. She was too surprised that when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. So she tried again, clearing her throat, just to make sure SOMETHING came out.

"...Yeah..."

"Cool..." He exclaimed lamely, looking back down at the swirled stained coffee table.

"Yep..."

Helga continued to drink and stare into her now Luke warm coffee while glancing once or twice at her old white nurses sneakers. She just bought them last week and they were already dirty. Now she'll have to bleach when she goes home, If she ever does.  
Arnold glanced at the, even though it was just from this morning, now creased newspaper that had been folded one too many times. The headline was something about how some girl saved her neighbors cat from a tree. He thought the paper must have been having a no depressing day yesterday that they printed this. He grabbed the paper and opened up to the funny section and was pretending to read the newspaper while glancing at Helga over the top now and then to make sure he had her look imprinted into his mind. Arnold was entranced by how beautiful Helga was and never wanted to forget her or keep her out of his mind again.  
Helga had on her soft pink lab coat with her favorite purple pen from fourth grade along with her pink name tag on the outside of her coat pocket. Arnold still couldn't believe Helga still had that pen and it still worked, but, what baffled and yet entranced him most was how her long blonde hair was pulled back with her pink bow from when they were three. He still had his hat but when Grandpa died he hid it in a box along with his parents journal and photos never to be seen again. He glanced into those blue crystal eyes of hers and immediately felt terrible about what he did so long ago, but that was in the past. He couldn't change it but he could still try to fix the present and future. She shifted her weight, drawing Arnold's attention to her long slender legs. She had on skinny jeans and a black ACDC concert tee-shirt that showed every inch of her to him. It didn't help that she was leaning back against a locker, showing her legs, like the were on display just for Arnold, in front of him.  
"You know Helga... You look allot different then last time we... saw each other."  
Arnold spoke up. He didn't know what possessed him to say that. He just blurted it out for her to hear.  
"Oh, thanks Arnold."  
Helga said with surprise in her voice. She was just thinking about how much he didn't change when he said that. She knew he didn't mean for that to come out but she had to be kind and say thank you at least.  
"No really you look," Arnold was trying to find the right word that wouldn't sound like what he was actually thinKing. "amazing."  
Helga didn't know what to say so she went back to her cool demeanor that she used when telling patients about things she knew they would never understand.

"Thanks."

"Helga I don't know what you want from me." He tossed down the paper, starting to get annoyed with her attitude towards him. He didn't know what to do about the past but apologize and try to fix the future but at the rate their going he was getting no where.  
"What makes you think I want anything, Arnold?"  
"The way you act and how you respond to my, statements, I know you are still mad at me, but, can we please get past the past and try to fix the future?!"  
"I am past the whole ordeal. You are the one who keeps bringing it up at random times. I thought we having a good conversation going there for a second." She was starting to get annoyed with him always bringing this up and of course being Arnold, he said the first thing on his mind when he is angry.  
"I think I should just get a job somewhere else if were going to keep having this problem.

"Arnold..."

"No, really Helga. Consider this my three week notice. I'll stay till you get somebody new and then I am out."  
He didn't really mean anything he was saying. He's just in the anger of the moment and all the tension in the air didn't help either. By the time he stood up from the "Starbucks Chair" he had clenched and unclenched his fists twice.  
"Arnold. Let's not be stupid here. You are a good doctor and you deserve to and can stay. I really need a doctor like you helping me here."  
She set her favorite mug aside onto the old ringed wooden table and moved towards his tense stature.  
"No. I quit. That's it."  
Arnold had already started walking to the door by the time Helga was standing next to the chair he was just sitting in and he left, slamming the door very dramatically.  
Helga took a deep breath and plopped down into the chair Arnold was just sitting in, and put her head on the stained table. When Helga went to this school in New York she never expected to see Arnold again, let alone be his boss.

Sometime during her thoughts she started to drift into the process of sleep but still barely aware of the outside world. She eventually fell asleep to her own world for about what felt like thirty seconds till her beeper went off. She got up slowly and before leaving the used to be sanctuary she forced herself to go into work mode. Putting all that stress into the far corner of her mind, just waiting to come out later.

~~Next Day~~  
When Arnold came back, he knew something was going to happen when he walked to the rec room door and saw a lone familiar shadow inside. She was in the lounge, sitting in the chair with her head on her hands dozing off, waiting for him with an almost empty cup sitting on the table, adding onto the art of circles.  
"Hey Football Head. We need to talk."  
"About?"  
She stood up and walked over to him. She lightly grabbed his jacket tore and pulling off the sleeves gently and grabbing the nearest doctors jacket that was a light blue color and handing it too him. Forcing him to take it from her hand. The whole while his body was tense but not from discomfort but the exact opposite. He was melting at her touch on the inside and never wanted her to let go of his hand. He took the jacket and threw it on his shoulder waiting for her reply.  
"Do you really want to quit?"  
She sounded pleading in her voice but when he looked into the crystal pools of hers he saw hurt and pain that he was leaving. He sighed in frustration and let his hands drop to his sides.  
"Truth be told Helga, I don't think we can work together and not fight. It just always been something we have done since I can remember when we worked on something together."

"Oh..."

She looked down at her shoes away his gaze and he felt guilt and regret for not trying to make her happy. He didn't even remember why she was so hostile towards him all the time. If she did love him she wouldn't act that way right?  
"Why is it like that between us, Helga?"  
She looked up from the floor and into his eyes with a questionable expression on her beautiful face.  
"Like what, Arnold?"  
"You know, how it is always you, as the boss, and me, weak, and just our constant fighting with each other."  
"I don't know... Its always been this way forever..."  
She lied of course. She knew when this all started with the boy with umbrella and Harold making fun of her about liking him. She didn't want to be picked on so she choose the other route and decided to be the bully till she graduated high school.  
"Yeah... It's a shame things couldn't have worked out differently... Hey. Maybe we would be dating by now."  
They were both shocked by what he just said and Helga being Helga immediately closed up and said what came to her mind without any emotion.  
"Yeah. That sucks Football Head..."  
"If things were different between us, do you think, just maybe, I would be with you right now?"  
He asked slowly, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Helga knew what happened they would still be in this awkward situation and shook her head.  
"Honestly Arnold, no I don't. I think either way we would be in the situation we are now. No matter what the cause."  
He shook his head in defeat and sighed.  
"Yea... I understand..."  
She grabbed both of his hands in her and stepped closer almost having each others noses inches away from touching. Things got quiet and she whispered.  
"Arnold please stay I need someone to help me besides Phoebe. And not with just patients either. I can't stand the hoots from the interns for much longer."

"Why?"

"What? Why can't i take the hoots for much longer because, well, I really can't concentrate and their jus-"  
"No Helga. Not that, even though we will talk about that soon, but, why would I not have a chance with you?"  
He asked rolling his eyes at her terrible shot of changing the subject. She looked back at the ground, dropped her hands from his, and crossed her arms over her chest speaking and backing away slowly.  
"Well, because. its policy I don't date guys at work and cause I can-"  
He stepped towards her, grabbing her shoulders, and lightly shaking them to maybe get some sense into her.  
"That's a damn lie and we both know it Helga! I know I messed all those years ago and said no but are you really going to be petty and say no to me now? Just so you can make me feel the way you did back then?!"  
She gently made him stop and back away. He was getting angry way to fast over something she found so ridiculous. Deep inside though her inner nine year old was jumping and squealing for joy that Arnold wanted her.  
"Arnold, please don't..."  
He was pissed now. He really did believe she was trying to get revenge and now he was going to make a mistake from being over taken and not thinking clearly by his thoughts.  
"Shut up Helga and listen! I am so sorry that one of the only things in my life I regret is telling you no! I would go back and fix it if I could, but I just, can't..."

"Arnold..."

Helga walked over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. He twisted out of her reach in time and backed away from her, circling around to the other side of the coffee table.  
"No! I refuse to listen to your excuses!"  
He slammed his palms down leaning over the table just inches away from her stern and determined face.

"Helga!"

Phoebe burst into the room, stopping when she glanced between the two for a second and froze, releasing she interrupted on a very important conversation.  
Helga stared into his raging eyes for a moment longer trying to win this fight, then sighed and turned from him to the dazed and confused Phoebe.  
"Yes? How can I help you?"  
"Uh... Patient. Cardiac arrest. No paramedics. Help."  
She motioned towards the outside hallway were Helga heard ca-motion going on and Helga nodded. Sighing in frustration at the person, at Phoebe for interrupting, and Arnold for being too far up his own butt to see the truth.  
"Ok. I'm coming."  
She went to the door and stopped. She recomposed her face then turned to the still pissed Arnold bending over the 'designed' coffee table.  
"Oh, and when you and your ego calm down for a moment, I would very much like you two to join us in this."  
Helga claimed leaving in her voice that only made Arnold worse. He had never been this angry at anyone for a long time.  
"Damn it!"  
Arnold could not help it but scream for the first time in years. And over the same girl too.

So read and review let us know how the revision is going. Had some trouble with the layout on this one so I hope it's not oo hard to read then next one shouldn't be like this I don't know what happened. Read and Review Please


	3. Chapter three

Chapter #3

Helga was so tired she dragged her feet all the way to her office. She just wanted to get her purse and go home to her California King foam bed with her pink and gray stripped Egyptian cotton sheets. She started to zone out while walking down the polished white tile hallway when a few interns whistled and caught her un-divided attention.

"Hey Pataki. Why don't you come over here and give me a once over."

She looked over at the auburn haired Caucasian and shook her head too tired to give her usual smart remarks back that would have the victim's friend's do the occasional o-ing of a peanut gallery. She saw Phoebe's office door only a few steps away and ducked inside. When the door was closed, Helga let out the breath she was holding and leaned against the door.

"Helga, Arnold is in your office."

Phoebe said suspiciously as she handed Helga some papers and files about recent cases of hers that needed to be reported. Helga lifted herself off the door and took the papers reluctantly.

"Oh no… I don't need this right now…"

Helga groaned, walking over to Phoebe's desk, dropping the papers back on it with a thud, and ruining the perfect pile already on top, scattering them everywhere. Helga winced at the mess she just made and bent down to pick up the rummage. Phoebe followed suit, picking up important papers and notes, taking the ones out of Helga's hands in the process, and stacking them back into a neat pile on her desk.

"I'm sorry Helga. I will admit he has changed..."

Phoebe looked sympathetic and sad, not just Helga, but for a good friend losing the best thing about them.

"Oh Phoebe! I have this great idea! I'll go to the 'bathroom', while get rid of him for me, saying that I died of an un-timely seizer!"

Helga was pacing back and forth across the small office, exclaiming her idea with such enthusiasm, while Phoebe shook her head.

"No Helga. You have to face him someday, and, he would know I was lying anyways. A head doctor doesn't just die in the middle of the hospital without alarm and panic every where."

"I did! He is just..."

Helga was making frustrated hand gestures at her door, while making a face that made Phoebe snicker and cover her mouth with her hand to hide the small smile from Helga. Phoebe finally managed to calm herself down and speak without laughing between her words.

"What?"

"Quiting..."

Helga sighed and slumped her shoulders over and plopped down into Phoebe's identical office chair, like hers, but in soft baby blue. Phoebe's face had turned from joy and laughter, to, disappointment and surprise.

"What?!"

"Yeah..."

Helga put her head in her hands, rubbing her temples to relax her 'surprise' migraine. Phoebe was still confused and she never really bugged about other's bussiness but this was technically about work.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Helga's snarky, sarcastic attitude came back when she spoke. She didn't mean to be that harsh to her best friend but she really was starting to frustrate her with her questions.

"Did you say something to him that would force him to go to that option?"

Phoebe demanded with a little force in her tone. She knew once Helga started using THAT tone that she only had so many more things she could ask till the explosion of Helga. Helga took in deep breath's to calm her shaking hands. Helga knew she wasn't trying to be rude and didn't deserve this side of her.

"No... He keeps bringing up what happened ten years ago every time we talk. When I said I was over him, he just flat-out said he quit. Didn't even let me try to convince him other wise!"

Helga threw her arms in the air with frustration. It had eaten away at her all day that Arnold was acting so stupid.

"Oh. My. God."

"What?"

Helga's eye widened in shock and she shot up from Phoebe's chair with excitement hoping she came up with a crazy plan to help her situation.

"Helga."

"What?"

Helga asked again, starting to get confused by Phoebe's stalling.

"Can't you see Helga?! I know you're not this blind. He is in love with you!"

Phoebe exclaimed, shaking Helga, hoping it would put some sense into her.

"No he's not. Stop lying Phoebe."

Helga rolled her eyes at her now frustrated friend.

"Yes. He. Is. I can see it in his eyes and, from what you just told me, proves it."

"He can't be. There is NO way."

"Why not?"

"Because, uh... Well, there's... I'm over him."

Helga was tapping her chin with her index finger trying to think of something when she just blurted out what came to her mind first. Phoebe just rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Helga, I know YOU are, but HE is pathetic and likes you."

Helga was just shaking her head, not agreeing with anything she says. Helga just couldn't wrapped her head around the thought of Arnold ever liking her, let alone him loving her.

"Yeah, but, there is NO way on earth that I would fall for him again... I mean I-"

Helga sighed, picking up a cup full of red 'Mount Sinai Hospital' inscribed pencils, swirling them around with her index finger. She was looking deep into the black pencil holder searching for her words when she didn't even notice Arnold enter Phoebe's office.

"Helga."

Arnold said coming up behind Helga.

"ARNOLD! Criminy foo- Arnold! Don't sneak up behind me like that!"

Helga jumped bad enough that she dropped the cup of pencils on the floor, causing the pencils to go crashing and bouncing all over the Phoebe's blue marble office floor.

"Oops. Sorry, I thought you knew I was behind you, or, at least heard the door open."

Arnold exclaimed with a bit of sarcastic tone in his voice. He bent down on his knees, getting on the floor to help Helga pick up the spilt pencils. She was obviously having a hard time even holding on to them.

"No. It's fine. Look, just give me those."

She held out her soft milky hand and he just shook his head.

"If you say so Helga."

He handed her one pencil he was holding of many, she grabbed it with her best effort, and dropped it. Arnold started laughing to himself, while Helga gave him the death glare that immediately made him shut up. She grabbed the pencils from Arnold, being a little rougher then she needed to be but completely intended. She stood up and placed the pencil holder back neatly on Phoebe's desk and turning around to face the slowly getting up Arnold.

"What are you doing here anyways? This is Phoebe's office."

Helga hissed, looking around the small office to see that the petite asian left her alone with, him. She made a mental note to get her back later for doing this.

"I need to speak with you about something. You weren't in your office, so i waited for, a while. Then, I got bored and anxious, so, I figured you would be in here since this is Phoebe's office."

Arnold said softly with his head down, smiling his love-sick grin, and blushing.

"Fine. We can go in my office, now that you found me."

She motioned him ahead of her towards the door, but Arnold just grabbed the handle, held the door open for her, and gestured for her to go first.

"Ladies first."

She huffed and went out the door without thanking him. He followed her to her office, sat in the giant plush pink chair across from her desk. She hesitated a second or two then shut the door and moved to stand behind her desk. She checked to make sure nothing was out-of-place, except a picture of her at a Halloween party dressed as Terra from Teen Titans, with her friend, Jacob, dressed as Beast Boy, was turned face down. She picked it back up, placing it right side up and smirked at the memory. Arnold noticed, something inside him twitched, wanting him to get up and throw the picture away like it was going to cut the memory of another guy from Helga's mind. Helga glanced at the photo one more time and began gathering her papers and faxes to be put into her brown leather brief case to go home.

"So, what did you want Arnold?"

Helga asked impatiently, taking her pink scrunnchie out and letting her hair fall in long loose cascades down her back. She shook it loose and then bent to pick up more papers and shoved them into her case, snapping the hinges closed.

"Um... I was-was..."

Arnold couldn't concentrate on his thoughts, or words, when she pulled down her hair letting loose so many emotions in his head. Helga looked over at his stunned face and started to blush, turning her head away so Arnold couldn't see her rosy red cheeks.

"You what, Arnold?!"

Helga questioned, growing very impatient of his stalling and the way he was looking at her wasn't helping her feel any more comfortable. She was in the process of taking off her lab coat to put on her plushy black jacket when she stopped moving to look at his confused face once more.

"I-that is can-I"

"Arnold. Seriously. Just say whatever you are trying to say."

Helga said grabbing her purse, brief case, and started to shut down her computer.

"Oh, God knows I'm trying my hardest here."

Arnold sighed in defeat and ran his hands through his cornflour hair.

"Ok, Arnold. Well I have a two-hour break starting," She lifted her wrist to her eyes and waited for the ticking second-hand to hit the twelve. "now. So I need to go home and catch up on season seven of Supernatural and stuff my face with Lo Mein. Maybe you can find the words to ask your question on the way to my car. Ok?"

Helga said in a rush, concentrating on digging for her keys out of her purse. She swore out loud that she needed to clean out her purse, causing Arnold to raise his eyebrow to her weird comment and snicker. She looked over at his chuckling face and scowled, then looked back down, smiling, when her fingers touched the warm metal of her key.

"Whatever you say Helga."

"That's right. Whatever I say Arnoldo."

Helga stated with a smile, tucking her hair behind her right ear. She recalled all of those times in school that they would flirt like that and- She mentally shook herself, tossing those memories aside to never be brought up again on her free will.

Arnold stood up from the plush pink chair, smiling at the way she used one of his old nicknames, and reached the door handle, swinging it open with pride. Helga just rolled her eyes, slinging her purse over her shoulder, picking up her brief case, and walked out the now open door. Arnold closed her door with pride and strolled up to the fleeting Helga.

"So, what was yo-"

"Hey Pataki! I have a question for you and your slave there."

The tall, tan, muscled, six-four, blonde came running up to Helga's side, picking her up in a hug causing her to drop her case on the floor, and wrapping her arms around him in an almost equal hug force. If Jacob's caramel brown eyes were open, he would have seen into Arnold's jealous filled green ones. Arnold coughed to bring them back to reality, causing Helga to roll her eyes a little, and Jacob just to laugh.

"A little touchy about Miss Pigtails here, aren't we newbie?"

Arnold turned his face into a scowl and his hands fisted to his side. Helga just looked between the two boys, shaking her head at their immaturity. Jacob just looked over at the beautiful blonde and laughed out loud.

"I'm not touchy. I just- Wait. I am NOT a newbie! I just-"

Jacob leaned over to Helga, closing in to her ear so close that she could feel his breath. Helga swooned on the inside of him being so close. She hasn't let anyone, except him, get this close to her body in years, and every time he does, she just let's her imagination go wild.

"Very touchy, I see. I like it. He's a defiant keeper."

Helga giggled hiding behind her hand, knowing exactly what he meant. Arnold faced her with disappointment and despair in his eyes. He started to walk away when Helga sighed in frustration and turned to Jacob giving him a last hug and walking away. She heard him say 'get a piece of that for me' and she only shook her head and thought if only he knew.

She reached Arnold in time for him to be opening the door to the garage and touched his shoulder causing him to flinch. She sighed in despair and decided to apologize like the mature adult would.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with all that back there. Jacob can be a little," She looked up into the sky, hoping, the right word will just magically fall from the sky and pop into her brain. "over dramatic, at times… So what did you going to ask before we were interrupted?"

Helga rushed out her words before she started babbling on about Jacob. Arnold was holding open the door to the dimly lit parking garage, surrounded by his own thoughts that he didn't even hear Helga speak. Helga waved her hands in front of his face, attempting to wake Arnold out of his zone, and failing. Finally she went to drastic measures, flicking his ear, causing him to jump, and hit his head on the door. He rubbed the sore spot, while mugging Helga in the process. She just shrugged, laughing to herself, causing Arnold to do a little love-sick grin. He quickly realized what was on his face and shook his head.

"Sorry. I was just, dozing off, I guess. Um, do you still, you know, want me to stay, here?"

Arnold asked rubbing the back of his head, following Helga past his New York license plate mint green jeep. Helga was glad that Arnold couldn't currently see her face because it had surprise written all over it. She couldn't believe that he wanted it back. She thought maybe Phoebe was right about her suspicions about Arnold, but immediately shook it off.

"Arnold, are y-you asking for your, ah, job back?"

Helga raised an eyebrow with question with a sly smirk on her face. She slowed down her walking a little to draw out the wait. She thought this was getting interesting and deserved a little more time then Dean, no matter how cute he was, Arnold was cuter. Helga immediately stopped causing Arnold to run into her, letting her forget that last thought. Arnold steadied her back to her feet.

"Well, uh, yes. Kind of. You know, if you don't, don't mind..."

"Well. I, ah, never got word yet to the board you quit. So your clear there."

Helga started picking up her pace again, reaching her car, unlocking her door, and throwing her stuff inside to the back seat. She crossed her arms over her chest, relaxing against the cold metal of her red mustang, awaiting his reply.

"So, am I hired back on the force?"

He asked hopefully with a smile of joy plastered on his face. Helga raised an eyebrow in thought and contemplated her what her choice would be. After a minute or two, she came to terms.

"Ok, but don't you ever, EVER, raise your voice to me again. I am your superior and boss, I expect to be treated like it."

"Alright. I can agree to that."

"And one more thing. Never, ever, bring up ten years ago either. That's in the past, and I would prefer, to not dwell in it."

Her tone held a serious threat to it that made Arnold scared not to nod and agree to her terms.

"I won't. I promise."

"Ok."

She sighed in relief and turned, ducking into her car. When she turned on her car, she forgot one more term and rolled down her tinted window.

"Hey Football head! Also, prior to work, we, have no relationship, other than boss and worker, I never knew you."

She told him with one arm out the window and backing out of her spot. He was almost reluctant to agree, but, this was the only way he could make things work between them. So he regrettably nodded.

"Whatever you say Helga..."

Helga snorted and drove off in the direction of the exit. Arnold watched Helga drive away, wishing he could just, forget, his stupidity. If only he had a time machine to fix everything he said he would, but, sadly there is no such thing. He'll just have to gain it back the old way. With time, trust, and patience.

* * *

Read and Review please! Me and my beta-reader would appreciate it.


	4. Chapter four

Chapter #4

Helga was pulling up in her red mustang with tired eyes and a sleepy smile. She recently had a wonderful dream of her being Kate Beckett from Castle, solving crimes and handing ass over to the law, while, messing with Castles emotions like a boss. She almost choose to be a detective like her but Helga knew she wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as she does what she's doing now. Helping others come back to life, instead of, catching the takers.

She pulled into a space three cars down from the 3rd floor door and parked. She grabbed her belongings, including, a New York Giants fuzz blanket Jacob gave to her last christmas. She wasn't all into the football scene but more Boston Red Socks. Jacob only bought it for her so anytime he came over he could cuddle with it. She smiled at the memory of her pretending to lose it when he came over for the big game that determined the Super Bowl teams and he flipped his lid trying to find it.

She climbed out of her car and turned to lock the door. She was pulling her key out of the lock when a man's hands blocked her sight, the soft hands were pressing against her eyes gently. She was still and straight as a twig. She didn't move and made her breathing slow down to a steady rate. She really didn't need an anxiety act now in the middle of the parking garage with a stranger behind her. She felt his breath on her ear with an intense heat.

This isn't the first time this has happened to her and probably won't be the last. It was always Jacob trying to get some information out of her or asking her out to some food place to get tasty treat like those wonderful doughnuts from the little bakery downtown in Little Italy.

"Miss Pataki. You have a treasure that I need. Will you hand it over nicely or should I have to take action?"

She was confused at the voice not being Jacob's. Then she realized it was someone else. A million things started to run through her mind, but, something kept telling her not to freak and to stay calm, and try to run away.

"Who are you? You're not Jacob and I honestly don't recognize your voice so please would you just let me go on my way."

He started laughing then dropped his hands, gripped her shoulders, and turned her around to face him. Helga was shocked to see Thaddeus Gammelthorpe aka. Curly. His smile was a sly one reaching the top of his, now wide red/brown eyes, laughing on the inside and out. Helga smiled and wrapped herself in his open arms, hugging him in a tight hug.

Thad and Helga grew close over the years, going to the same college, but, studying different things. They still took some of the same classes together and had a couple of drinks, got to know each other, and had a fling for a year. They eventually went their separate ways and lost contact with him when he left to study a new cancer research medication in the rain forest.

She looked into his eyes and saw that crazied and excentric man she fell in love with a long time ago. She started to lean forward into a kiss but then she remember that they weren't together anymore, which depressed her a little, but, she then reminded herself about him being her right in front of her, instead of the rain forest searching for a cure.

"What are you doing her Thad? I thought you were still in the rain forest searching for a cure for cancer." She was still holding on to him so tight that if she let go her life would dwindle down to an atom.

"How about I tell on the way to your office? I think it would be more, private, then this parking garage."

He smiled a soft smile and turned her away from the car, leading her towards the blue double doors. Helga held onto his waist acting like if she let go he would leave immediately disappear into another life far away from her, but, as they reached the main corridor she let go of his side and he followed suit. Their hands still brushed by their sides from time to time when walking and the same guy from the other day noticed.

"Hey, Doctor Pataki, did you change your mind or are you going to give him one?" This made both of the two adults stop in their track.

Thad turned and stared down the immature boy while, Helga crossed her arms over her chest, thinking of twenty different ways she could kill him and hide the body. Thad started laughing, his shaggy charcoal silk curls bounced with his every movement. Helga started to get lost in those curls with her eyes, remembering her precious memories, when she felt a hand on her waist and squeezing in someone's side that it brought her back into reality.

She turned her head to look into Jacob's crystal green eyes and smiled a grin so wide that it touched her joyful ocean blue eyes. Jacob matched it with his own and turned to the intern and his friends.

"Well, Chase. I never knew you liked girls. I mean, when you flirted with me and tried to take me to the supply closet on the fifth floor. I thought you were all gay but now that I see you hitting on Miss Pataki, here," He made a hand gesture pointing towards her and winked secretly for only her eyes to see. She registered his plan and started to follow along by acting surprised by what her best bi friend Jacob was telling the now growing crowd around them. " but, I knew you were just looking for a quickly so I declined. You're not worth it and definitely not cute enough for me or Helga here and definitely not for her sexy friend here. I am pretty sure too, that, since she is your boss she can charge you with sexual harassment and get your slimy ass fired."

The crowd started to do the normal o'ing of a crowd when someone was insulted and Helga looked up at Jacobs face that had success and pride plastered all over it. She turned to look at Thad and saw his face was full of enjoyment and laughter, like a little kids when they catch their friend doing something stupid and is swore to secrecy from telling the parents. She turned to Chase and saw his face was tomato red burning through his skin and big eyes filled with surprise. He was staring Jacob in the eyes then looked at Helga's. She saw embarrassment and his self-confidence breaking up like little shards of glass, but she also saw something else. Something she hadn't seen from anyone for a while. She realized it was pure hatred, which, made her flinch back in surprise, and he grinned a little then opened his mouth.

"She won't do shit to me. I am leaving and I'll be back tomorrow when you don't have your men to protect you."

She was instantly filled with rage and started to walk fast after his fading figure when someone grabbed her waist and held her back from beating him to a pulp. She thought to herself that she didn't need anyone to fight her fights. She was Helga Pataki and she could fight her own battles. Then why had she let Jacob stand up for her? Because Jacob was her best friend besides Phoebe and was only sticking up for her like any friend would. She swore to herself she would get her revenge some day but, right now she wanted to know who the hell stopped her in her tracks from punching that jack-ass square in the face.

"Let me go! That little worm needs to learn his place and I would be more than willing to put him there!"

"We're having a great start to the morning, aren't we Helga?"

Helga immediately let her shoulders fall and all the tension ran out of her. Phoebe always knew what to say, or more like it, what pressure points to push. Helga loved it when Pheebs would do that especially on such a stress-full days, but, she wanted to punch him and she just took all that fight away by pressing one spot. Helga shook her head and turned to look down at Pheebs petite stature.

"Why did you do that Pheebs. I was going to get him. I haven't punched something, or someone, in years..."

"You can punch me in the shoulder, or anywhere, but, just not the face or down there please." Thad pointed a finger down between his legs that Helga couldn't help but glance down at.

She immediately looked back up to him and smiled.

She hugged him, then when she knew he was comfortable in their arms she let go and punched him square in the shoulder as hard as she could. She pulled her hand close to her chest and turned around to let out a silent ow and look at her, now, red bruised hand. She didn't think he was stronger or gained muscles over the years because she couldn't see it under his New York sweat shirt. Now that she looked at his arms and chest she could see some muscles forming and his low chuckle shook his tan body.

"You jack-ass! Why didn't you tell me that you had muscles now?! Ow! Man, this really hurts. Did I at least get some pain through you?"

He shook his head and lifted up his sleeve to show just a tiny red dot where she punched him. She starred him down with a glare that only made him laugh harder. She turned from him to look at Phoebe hoping he would get the message to go away from her embarresment. She saw Phoebe was laughing too at the sight of Helga punching a thirty-two year old man that traveled through the rain forest for five years.

"Phoebe!" Helga was shocked to see her best girl friend laughing at her shame.

"Oh, Helga. I'm sorry, but that was really funny. Um, I came to find you to tell something disturbing. Did you know that Arnold was still working in the E.R.?" Helga felt Thad stiffen at his name and she raised a hand to her shoulder to calm him down before he did something stupid and dangerous. "I figured he just wanted to make you mad but, he claims he is still working here. Do you know anything about this?"

Helga nodded her head and turned to face Thad. His face was tight and emotionless, until, Helga moved her hand to his face and his eyes turned to her's. What she saw made her feel sad on the inside. Thad went through so much with Helga that he didn't want to see it all crash down because of one boy. He found her at the college alone and depressed, she told him all that happened over the summer leading up to that day. He stayed with her for years being her friend when she needed one and a lover when they fell for the other. Helga understood why he would be acting this way. He put on a smile for her, and, only her.

"I have to leave soon, to go back to South Americaand finish my research. I was wondering if we could catch up over some dinner later tonight if you weren't busy."

Helga made her face a thoughtful one pretending to wiegh her options in her head making him feel uncomfortable for asking. She looked down at Pheobe who was now pretending to flip through important papers. She sighed and amiled up at her old lover and best friend.

"Why not? I get off work at eight tonight for a couple of hours and I know this fantasic asian resturaunt on third street."

"Sounds perfect to me. I'll pick you up at eight then. Oh, and Jacob is pretty funny. I am glad you found someone like him to keep you sane, besides you Phoebe." He smiled his perfect smile and gave her a hug lasting a little too long for just friends zone. She enjoyed it a little to much too, breathing in his scent of fresh rain dew and the trees he would climb sixty feet high to achieve just one leaf. She let go first noticing Pheobe's tapping impatient foot on the hard marble. He gave her one last look and left on his way while Helga stared after his retreating figure.

"Helga. You aren't going to get involved with Curly again, are you? He's leaving soon to go back to South America and probably won't come back till, who-knows-when. You can't wait for him Helga. You're wasting your life on a impossible chance."

Helga sighed and looked at her child-hood friend, showing longing and yet, she understood everything that she was saying. But, something inside kept made her pissed that Pheobe, her best friend since one, told her she couldn't wait for someone she was in love with. She had been in love with Arnold since she was three till the summer before she left for college. She didn't ever tell her that it wasn't worth waiting for him. She never held her back from deciding, following, stalking him!

"Phoebe. You have no right to tell me who I can and can not date and/or wait for. If you wan't to know, Arnold never left. We made a few rules and things he couldn't, no, wouldn't do. He is aloud to stay until I fire him or he quits."

Helga looked pissed and Pheobe understood why. She was upset that she wasted most of her younger years on a guy who never wanted her back. Pheobe sighed in concentration and frustration, trying to find a way to calm Helga down when she came upon a curious idea.

"Helga. Are you, you know, starting to fall for Arnold, again? You and I both know that you would never re-hire or even hire someone with previous history with you and I or anyone that was in Hillwood. You turned down so many of our friends that, Lia had to go to a different department to even get a job at this hospital, but not him. Not the man who broke your heart, the one who left you standing in the rain crying tears of pain. If you still held that grudge that I know you, Helga Geraldine Pataki, would hold agianest anyone that would cause you an ounce of pain like he did, you would have them immediatly thrown out of the state with some sources I don't know. Admit it Helga. No matter what he does, or say, you will always be in love with him."

She turned and left her standing in the hallway, alone while machines were transported to seperate rooms for seperate things and the sounds of wheels squicking and beeps from many rooms montering heart rates. The only thing that Helga was hearring in mind was the hurt and anger in Pheobe's voice that she had only heard once before when Pheobe and Gerald had a fight over a very stupid topic that matter a lot to her at the time but soon forgot afterwards, but, she didn't talk to him for about three months till he started to sereinade in the middle of her work that made her forgive him.

Helga felt one solid emotional tear going down her cheek, she furiously wiped it away, and went striaght to her office. She slammed the door and flopped into her chair, curled up, and covered herself with the blanket, drifting softly to sleep...

Three Hours Later:

Helga woke to a knock on her door, letting her eye lashes flutter open to see a certain petite asian holding stacks of thick envelopes, placing them on her desk in a huff, and started to walk out when Helga stop her before she could barely open the door. She turned her around in a gentle motion hoping that she would be opened minded and take her back with little questions asked.

"Phoebe. Please listen to me. I'm not going to allow him to be injected into my heart while it is still pumping my stubborn through my purple and blue veins. I know you're scared that I will, go back, to the state I was in before until you, Thad, and Jacob helped me through. I learned from my mistakes and I won't be stupid to re-make them again."

Phoebe stared into Helga's crystal blue eyes and saw she was telling the truth and desperation that Phoebe would believe her. Phoebe let go of the breath she was holding onto and sighed. Helga did the same and started to wrap Phoebe in hug until she held up her hand and single index finger lifted meaning wait. Helga looked confused but Phoebe had a good motive to stop it that she would soon explain to Helga.

"Hold on Helga. I am not excepting your apology yet," Helga let her head hang low and stared at her shoes. Phoebe felt sorry and knew she didn't need this right now. Neither of them truely needed this new stress on their shoulders. She was sure that Helga had some more since Curly decided to come back from his trip. " but, we need to talk about all this, and, you need my support right now. So. Come here and give me a hug."

Helga immediatly picked her up in her arms and swung her around the room. She knew, even if it was just a few hours, that it was too long for them to be seperate and mad at each other for Helga. She never had been this far from her for more than thirty minutes and it had made a little hole in her spot for Phoebe in her heart.

"Oh Phoebe! I am so happy you forgave me so quickly! I knew you would understand. Ooo! This is why I love you so much! Don't ever scare me like that again! Oh. You smell like fresh flowers. Let me guess, Gerald?"

Phoebe giggled a girlish one and Helga placed her on the floor gently reaking of fresh flowers that she knew smelt of daffidels and Lilacs. Those where what Gerald always bought her when he knew she had been stressing out, for some reason Helga never understood, the scent of the two flowers mixed always seemed to work. Helga just had a headache from it if she sniffed too much.

"Alright Phoebe's. Get out of here before your, scent, gives me another migraine. Oh and did you get the paychecks from the office? I have to hand them out today before people start bumbarding me with complaints and my door will never be closed."

"Actually, the checks are on your desk and everyone that's supposed to be working today is except Jessica and Kyle. And if you want to know, Arnold is on the third floor."

Helga had walked over to her desk and stopped shuffling through the pay checks and stared straight ahead. She knew who was on the third floor and running their operation. She knew he went up there to see Lila and couldn't help thinking that he reknidle some more memories from the past.

"Thanks Pheebs. I'll be right on this. Don't worry about me. I have this all covered."

Phoebe nodded then left the room, closing the door softly with a click. Helga huffed and ran her hands over her face, squizzing the bridge of her to dull a creeping headache. She opened her eyes with irration and went to her coat hanger, grabbing her pink lab jacket, stuffing her coat pocket with the thick envelopes, walking out of the comfort of her nice, commfy, warm, office.

She walked around the floor handing checks, stuffing busy others with surprises of the touch of her hand near their thighs or breats pockets. Some even gave her the occaisoinaly wink or fake play flirtation that friends would do. Of course one, a newbie that Helga thought of as a little brother, dared to take a chance, hoping she calmed down a little to take his joke lightly and laugh.

"Mmmm... Dr. Pataki. You look so good in these halls, I should be paying you to be here everyday. Not the other way around." He smirked and she just shook her head and chuckled at the little comment that her newbie made.

"Oh Markie. I love you too much to threaten to fire you, but, sadly you might deserve it. Plus, I would miss you too much." She had a smile from ear to ear and started to turn away from him and walk towards the elevator when she heard Mark whistle at her retreating figure. She just shook her head and laughed.

She pressed the elevator up button tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for the electrical box to come down from the seventh floor. She started to imagine thoughts about the conversations that Arnold and Lila could be having when the doors opened. She stepped inside and the doors closed slowly. Her thoughts came back to the whole Lila and Arnold situation accurring. He could be hiding in a closet, or even worse, a patients room doing, un-mentable, things. Helga's face flustered with anger and forced her thoughts to change. She thought of the kids on this floor and how they would look in their 'beds', sick and recovering room terrible accidents. She felt sick stepping off the elevator to the pediactrics ward. She loved kids but her heart broke when she saw them in any of these conditions.

She walked down the hall way a few feet stopping to look in the nursery glass. Six beautiful healthy babies were on the other side. Four little girls wrapped in light pink blankets, and , two little boys covered in blue. She smiled at the new future children and what they might accomplish, but, right now they had a cute soft faces with rosey cheeks. They were perfection in human form.  
She wanted a baby. She had always wanted a husband to bare children with. The only problem was the men she had dated only wanted one thing and most were intimidated by her and her job. Plus the 'men' at her work didn't really prove any of her doubts wrong. She sighed in frustration and sadness, knowing there wouldn't be any new borns in her near future.

"I want to cry everytime I see them. I will never know what it's like to be able to care for another like a mother and her child." She felt someone's presence beside her and just started talking, wanting to just get her thoughts out. Her hand touched the glass and then retracted it, looking away from her own depressing thoughts, looking into his grass green eyes. They were stricken with pain and sadness for his old friend, but his face told it all. It was based with shock that she would something so personal to her, coated with conteint that she trusted him with such, and splashed with some guilt about thinking he could be her husband right now with five kids if they wanted. He should have taken his chance with her when he had it.

"Helga, I am so sorry. I didn't know... So, when did you find out your overies and eggs weren't responsive?"

Helga's face went wide with shock and her already flustrated pink cheeks increased in redness. She couldn't believe, Arnold, of all people would say something as ridiculous like that. At first she thought it was a joke he was playing on her, until, she realized he was being serious and there was no hint of laughter anywhere on his face. She huffed out the breath she was holding on to and gestured for him to follow her back to the elevator, handing him his paycheck along the way. He leaned forward and pressed the button to go down, thanking her at the same time.

"My ovaries are fine by the way. It's just the stupidity of man that have refused me of love to make me want to commit to them."  
Arnold just looked at Helga and shook his head. He couldn't believe she was so pickie, but, then again, most of the guys he's seen around Helga, except Jacob, were real jerks and sleeze balls around the hospital floor she worked on. He just couldn't believe she wouldn't already have been in love with one already. He kept contimplating until the elevator ding sounded in his ears. Then he blurted his stupidest thoughts out in a whisper.

"What about me? What if we had kids together? I mean, I'd let her keep her job and I'd stay at home with the kids... Why did I let my stupidity of being a child get to me..."

Helga stepped inside the metal box and looked away from his face blushing, making sure Arnold couldn't see her suprised happy face. She shook it off the second he leaned in and pressed the button for the ground floor. She stuffed her hands in her pockets to calm her shaking hands.

"So. How's Miss Lila Sawyer? I haven't talked to her in a while." Helga looked over at Arnold's staring eyes and looked away, feeling like a piece of art he was examinging. Arnold noticed his wandering eyes and darted his eyes straight ahead. He felt the air start to tense and wished to himself that the elevator would hurry up.

"You do mean Misses Lila Sisla? She got married two years ago apparently. She meet him at a bar somewhere on East Jasmine Street. They hit it off immediatly and she has never been happier. She showed me a picture of him and his family, their really beautiful and, from what's she told me, madly in love." Arnold didn't realize how much his words hurt Helga until he saw a single tear with such sadness roll down her face and landing on the bleached floor. He went over and ran his thumb under her eye to wipe the watery emotion from her face and Helga turned her face away from him. He wished he just shut up with the first sentence and left it at that.

"She deserves her happiness with all of the hard work she has done. I mean, she didn't get to where she was with just her 'free spirit' and beauty. She is wonderful with the kids she works with. If I ever do have a child, I would trust her with their life. She just that wonderful, and she's being working here for four years. She has the experence for it." Helga was looking at him with a soft smile on her face, speaking about a woman who has many terrible years of her life, but noticed a change for the past few years. Arnold just looked at Helga with surprise and loving for the woman she has become. Last time he saw her she still had the hateful lust for Lila.

"How long have you been here? Lila said you came before her. You know she was inspired by you doing what you are now. She said she came in one day for her cousin's liver operation and saw you prep-ing for the surgery. She thought if you were willing to help others than she should too. She's had bad experiences with adults and always loved being around the joy of kids. Plus she knew you were already going to take control of the whole downstairs operation soon because your talent shined through." He was smiling at her making her heart skip a beat.

Everything she thought about Lila changed in that moment. She never knew she was the reason Lila started to go back to school. Hell, she didn't even know she was married. She always thought Lila thought these jobs as a challenge between the two of them. Helga felt like a total bitch for even thinking about the thoughts before hand. She was so worried about Arnold that- Why was she worried about him? She didn't even like him like that anymore! Did she?

"Hey Arnold. Not to just change the subject or anything, but, Phoebe has had these weird thoughts and asumstions, that, it's going to be tough for us to work together. I keep telling her it'll be fine because we're on good terms, but, she doesn't seem to want to believe me. Do you?"

Helga turned her lowered eyes from her white nurse shoes to his beautiful grass ones. She saw so many emotions flash across them and hope was one of them. She truely wanted to believe that he did too but, from what was coming and going on his face worried her. He honestly didn't know how to answer her question.

"Helga... I honestly don't know how to answer that," He saw hurt flash through her eye's and immediatly felt terrible about his word choice but he felt it was true and she needed to hear it. He grabbed her chin in his hand and lifted it to face his own. "but, what I do know is, i am the first, besides Phoebe, to be hired by you from your past. You are a strong and, very stubborn, woman. I know you don't feel feelings for me anymore by what you did in the garage, making that very clear to me. But, I honestly don't know how I feel and wish you would hear me out for once instead of running away like always. Plus you're my boss and I'm not allowed to have any relations with you."

That last few statements he made Helga jerk her head out of his hands, not only noticing how close they were that she could feel his every speaking breath on her face but by saying she never stood for the truth. If he wanted the truth then she'll give it to him.

"Did you know Thaddeus is back in town and wants to take me to diner? Him and I had a thing back in college after I left town. He found me crying in the cemetery beneath an angel looking towards the sky. It sounds like a fictional novel to me but-"

Helga was interrupted by a sudden surge in the elevator, where she went flying into Arnold's arms. He caught her instantly, holding her close against his chest with his arms wrapped around her pressing her head close and closed his eyes. The elevator dropped for a few seconds with lights flickering in and out. Helga tightened her grip around Arnold's crisp blue cotton button up and felt him laughing from the shaking coming from his chest. She wondered why he even thought this experience was funny. They could die!

"Helga. You can let go now if you want. I suggest doing so before 'someone' gets the wrong message. It has stopped for now but, we're stuck. The doors are caught between the third and second floor. We only dropped one level so I think we'll be fine if we just decided to drop one more. Good thing we're in a hospital huh?"

Arnold was smirking, still holding Helga close to him, cherishing this moment for as long as he could. Helga noticed a few seconds later trying to get her mind in check from what just shocked her half to death itself, that, Arnold was still holding her in his arms. She immediately backed away into the corner farthest away from him, sliding down the wall and plopping in a heap, hugging her knees to her chest resting her head in her knees. Arnold just shook his head and sat down next to her.

"So," He nudged her with his shoulder and managed to get a growl out of her which caused a roar of laughter from him. "how's Mr. Curly? Still obsessed with Rhonda or did he change his obsession to you?"


End file.
